


Home for Christmas

by yogini



Series: Christmas fluff Camelot style [23]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Acceptance, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas Dinner, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Party, Established Relationship, Ficlet, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Love, M/M, Male Homosexuality, Non-acceptance, Short & Sweet, Short One Shot, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-23
Updated: 2014-12-23
Packaged: 2018-03-03 13:08:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2851862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yogini/pseuds/yogini
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur hosts a Christmas cocktail party but something’s missing…</p>
            </blockquote>





	Home for Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin or any of the characters in the series, I'm just borrowing them from their respective owners to play with a little and I promise to give them back when I'm done. No copyright infringement is intended and I don't make any money from writing fanfiction.

Finally the last guest was out the door and Arthur sank down on the couch with a sigh. The place looked like it had been turned upside down by a herd of stampeding elephants but he couldn’t find it in himself to care about it, and his cleaning crew would take care of it in the morning anyway. He tried to relax, brought out a beer, put his feet up on the coffee table and turned on the TV but he couldn’t ignore the itching feeling in his body and he didn’t know why.

 

The party had been a success. He’d received compliments on both the food and the decorations and everybody had seemed to enjoy themselves. The guest list had mostly been decided by Uther but Arthur had managed to invite some of his friends as well and, apart from having to avoid certain hopeful parents with pretty daughters that they were only too happy to parade in front of Arthur, the evening had went well. Uther, of course, had not been pleased. In his opinion Arthur had spent too little time talking to the people who mattered and not making enough useful contacts. Also, the champagne wasn’t cold enough, the Christmas themed canapés were not sophisticated enough and, although it wasn’t mentioned, Arthur suspected that his father would have wanted the snow to be a bit whiter and fluffier. Leon, who’d heard part of the conversation, had given Arthur a pat on the shoulder before he headed home and Arthur was grateful to know that his friends had his back. He was used to his father criticizing him, however, and it shouldn’t make him feel this ill at ease.

 

Arthur decided to take a shower and then get to bed but he couldn’t fall asleep and tossed and turned for over an hour before he realized what was wrong. He missed Merlin. As Uther had made it perfectly clear that Merlin was not to attend any of the family gatherings for the holidays he’d decided to celebrate Christmas back home with his mum instead. Arthur was invited too and he’d only declined because he knew that Uther would be furious if Arthur didn’t join him at the manor. Merlin had been a bit hurt but he understood and Arthur had promised him that they’d celebrate together next year. Arthur was certain that he could make Uther understand that what he referred to as ‘this thing with that boy’ wasn’t just a temporary infatuation, that Arthur intended to spend the rest of his life with Merlin.

 

But now he wasn’t so sure anymore. Uther hadn’t stopped introducing Arthur to this or that girl and even started to point out how lovely certain of the waitresses were. He’d even gone as far as pulling Arthur away from Gwaine as he claimed that people could get the wrong impression as it was public knowledge that Gwaine was bisexual. Arthur felt his blood boil when he thought of this and an anger that he didn’t know he was capable of feeling surfaced. He’d done everything perfectly, done everything like his father wanted him too, and still it wasn’t enough. Because Arthur was gay and that was something that Uther could not accept.

“Screw this!” Arthur shouted as he threw the covers back, shoved some clothes into a bag and grabbed his car keys. He was going to Ealdor. He didn’t care that Uther would throw a huge tantrum, didn’t care what he would say. Arthur wanted Merlin right now, and nothing else was important.

 

After four hours in a car Arthur wasn’t feeling so certain anymore. He knew that Hunith liked him well enough but he wasn’t so sure what she’d make of him appearing in the middle of the night, dressed in a pyjamas and with sleep tousled hair. He tentatively got out of the car and slung the bag over his shoulder. Then, instead of knocking on the door, he called his boyfriend.

“Arthur?” Merlin’s voice was heavy with sleep and Arthur couldn’t help but smile when he heard it. “Time is it?” he mumbled.

“Don’t know” Arthur answered. “Listen, I hope it’s not a bad time or anything…” Merlin snorted, sounding more awake now.

“Of course not” he said sarcastically. “It’s only… three in the morning. Perfectly normal time to call anyone, I’d say.” When Arthur didn’t retaliate at this Merlin became worried. ”Did something happen?” he asked quickly. “Arthur? Is everything all right?”

“Yeah, no, I don’t know” Arthur said. “Listen, can you let me in?”

“Let you in?” Merlin said unbelievingly and Arthur could hear the sheets rustle as Merlin sat up. “Where are you?”

“On your mother’s front porch, currently freezing my ass off” Arthur said, then for good measure adding: “And seeing that that particular of my anatomy is one of your favourites you’d do well to ensure that no lasting damage is…”

“Oh, hush you prat, I’m getting down” Merlin interrupted and ten seconds later the door was opened to reveal a sleepy, tousled, barely dressed and very lovely boyfriend that Arthur couldn’t help but hug tightly. Despite said boyfriend’s protests about Arthur being cold because Arthur was finally _home_.

 

They slept late and it was almost lunch time when they entered the kitchen. Hunith waved away Arthur’s apologies for crashing in on her like that and promptly set the two of them to work. Arthur wished that the Christmas dinner would never end. He wanted to spend the rest of his life like this, with people he loved, people who loved him back and wanted the best for him. After the food was put away Arthur and Merlin lounged on the couch and Hunith had gone to visit one of their neighbours.

 

“I think I’ve eaten too much” Arthur groaned when Merlin shifted on top of him and accidentally poked him with his elbow.

“Then maybe you should take a run with me?” Merlin suggested. “Work off some of that pork.” He playfully poked a finger into Arthur’s belly and laughed when Arthur lazily batted his hand away.

“Nope” he said. “I can think of more interesting ways to exercise.” He rolled over so that he was on top of Merlin instead and grinned mischievously. “And we have the whole house to ourselves to do it.”


End file.
